Greetings HeroClix Fans!
Welcome back to “Mordor Monday” as we spotlight another preview from the upcoming Fellowship of the Ring HeroClix set. Today we travel near the Gap of Rohan to Isengard and set our gaze upon one who has traded reason for madness; the wizard of “many-colors”, Saruman.
Arguably the most powerful of the Maiar, this version of Saruman demonstrates his ability to exert considerable control over others on the battlefield thanks to his special power, The Power of Isengard. This special power allows Saruman to use Mind Control as if he possessed a range of 10 (replacing his more standard 6 range for other attacks) but that’s not all; Saruman may also ignore elevated and blocking terrain for line of fire purposes! Maneuver Saruman to an elevated position or behind a wall while running interference with your Orc Warriors and Orc Archers, or reach back to the Lord of the Rings HeroClix set and team Saruman up with some of his Uruk-Hai like Shagrat or Ugluk for more muscle!
Being able to hide -er, position Saruman behind blocking terrain or out of reach on a different elevation from his Mind Control target is not to be underestimated. Saruman can Mind Control a key support piece and command it to maneuver closer to one of your pieces for an attack, or re-position an opposing heavy-hitter to attack another opposing piece or simply further away from your pieces. With some good positioning and the right map, Saruman can easily dominate the battlefield with little fear of retribution!
However, if you prefer Saruman to be more openly aggressive, or if an opposing figure happens to base Saruman where’s he hiding-er, positioned, his Palantir special power allows him to use Outwit and Probability Control (similar to the version of Saruman found in Lord of the Rings HeroClix)!
“If I Go, He Dies” is Saruman’s epic ability. You may choose up to 1 opposing character per 200 points of the game’s build total that’s marked with an action token and roll a d6 that can’t be rerolled; if the result of the roll is 4 – 6, deal each of the chosen characters 1 penetrating damage.
“What is an Epic Action?” you may ask? Firstly, epic actions only come into play if the build total of the event is 400 points or more. An epic action is a type of power action, but each player may only use one epic action per turn. Unlike a typical power action, an epic action does not count against your action total.
Saruman has the Indomitable combat ability which will grant him the use of Willpower which pairs nicely with both his epic ability and his The Power of Isengard special powers, allowing Saruman to go on the offensive without fear of pushing.
A healthy run of Shape Change affords some protection for Saruman early- to mid-dial while a strong run of Penetrating/Psychic Blast ensures that Saruman can cut through his opponents’ defenses with ranged attacks (be careful when challenging Saruman to a Wizard’s duel!)
At 130 points, Saruman will make up almost half of your force in a standard 300 point event, but paired with good support and attack pieces (see above), he will easily cause a headache or two for the opposing force thanks to strong, consistent combat values and power selection. Saruman also has the familiar Forces of Sauron and Mystical keywords, and the all-new Maiar keyword for theme team construction.
Thanks for reading! Please join us for more upcoming and exciting Fellowship of the Ring HeroClix previews. Until then, Shape Change for the Win!!